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My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises
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Goluscombe
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 27, 2016 6:55 pm    Post subject: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

I had my '55 ragtop brought to Ken Jansen last Saturday and met Ken for the first time. He is such a good guy. I feel like if someone didn't like Ken, there must something wrong with the other guy.
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He and his crew went over the bug like the VW nuts they are, pointing all the things that was done to the car why VW built the car the way they did. It was like 15 minutes of VW history school.
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I spoke to him today and he got the bug up to 70 mph last Monday - on the freeway. I told him that I could only get 57 mph and that maybe I should just let him drive the car! I think he tweaked it already.
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Since the oil light goes on at idle, the engine will be re-built and, at the same time, he'll send the tranny with the bad second gear synchro to a someone he trusts for rebuilding. He wants to put a slight higher top gear but first, he wants to tear down my engine and to provide options. He did say we might try the Okras set up but time will tell.
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After driving the Bug, he did provide a technical analysis of the brake system: "It sucked". Clarity plus brevity equals
full understanding! He'll be fixing that, too.
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His shop is loaded with milling machines, lathes and God knows what around the all the many corners. It looks like there is nothing he can't make.
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I can't wait to see what he has in mind.

Carl
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Kjell Roar
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 28, 2016 9:41 pm    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

Hi! Do you have right oil pressure switch? Many people replace the original 0,25 bar switch with a 0,5 bar unit. Then the oil pressure light can go on at idle.
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sgmalt46
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 29, 2016 3:04 pm    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

you are in good hands. he is a good guy. if it has a 36 he may call me .for parts.
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Goluscombe
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 01, 2016 9:53 pm    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

I'll ask Ken this week regarding the oil pressure switch. I might be in for big savings? Even still, I really wanted to install a stoked crank, a camshaft that helps with power and then install an Abarth muffler. I Ken says that's not enough, then the next step is going with either Wiechert's or Wolfsburg West's Okrasa set up. I just wish I could do the work.

sqmalt, you are the seventh person to give Ken kudos. I feel good about taking by car there. Are you in the Bay Area?

Carl
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sixty9fasty
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 9:57 pm    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

Best of luck to you with Ken... while he himself is a nice guy... and his work is decent....

I have a problem with his inability to get something done in what anyone would ever call a timely manner, and his absolute lack of communication unless you show up at his shop(don't expect to ever have him answer or return phone calls)... It took him nearly 2 years to finally get me the engine back for my Thing, and it wasn't a matter of payment, I went by his shop numerous times(even though it's a two hour roundtrip) with hundreds of dollars in pocket...

Then, after I finally got that done and back I dropped off my 36hp case, heads and crank, to have work done on the case and crank, and the heads rebuilt, yeah. Six months later, they were sitting in the same box, in the same location, with nothing but excuses... suffice to say, I left with my stuff and took it elsewhere...

Again, Ken is a nice enough guy, and plenty of folks swear by him... and I hope you don't have the same experience as I... but I'll never wait around on that guy again
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Goluscombe
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 6:28 am    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

Oh boy. While some people have said he isn't fast, this is the first time I've heard of a two-year deal. I'm speaking with him this week. If he can't get started or hasn't started, I'll to find somewhere else to take my business. I expected to have the car ready in March. I started this in November, it doesn't seem like an unreasonable request and he agreed.

If my hands could take the work, I would have done much of the work myself.

Thanks for the head-up.

Sincerely,

Carl
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txoval
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 7:53 pm    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

I recommend you call Matthew K. (Mr. Motorhead) down in Paso Robles

www.aircooledresearch.com

Knowledgeable in all VW's, but a 36hp guru

Great person to deal with and I live in Texas
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Goluscombe
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 8:31 pm    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

txoval,

Thanks. Matthew K. was one of the people I originally considered.

I still prefer to use Ken Jansen because of all good things I heard about him. He is my choice. I'm going to talk to him this week and see if he will commit to finishing in the next 30 to 60 days.

Given that he is to outsource the tranny, I think that would be enough time to build up an engine and re-do the brakes.

I certainly believe he deserves that much. I hope this next conversation doesn't go there.

I like to take it to the VW show at Kelly Park this April.

Carl
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jays58s
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 9:09 pm    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

Goluscombe wrote:
txoval,

Thanks. Matthew K. was one of the people I originally considered.

I still prefer to use Ken Jansen because of all good things I heard about him. He is my choice. I'm going to talk to him this week and see if he will commit to finishing in the next 30 to 60 days.

Given that he is to outsource the tranny, I think that would be enough time to build up an engine and re-do the brakes.

I certainly believe he deserves that much. I hope this next conversation doesn't go there.

I like to take it to the VW show at Kelly Park this April.

Carl
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If anything goes south and you need help, I'm not far from you, Carl
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Goluscombe
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 12:11 pm    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

I just spoke with Ken, who is at his shop on a Sunday. He started on my car last Wednesday but had been out of town doing deliveries of some engine parts he had machined.

I gave him free rein to choose what should happen to my bug. I told him that he is such a nice guy that he wouldn't cross anyone but I wanted him to know that his opinion matters. He suggested that to make my bug reliable enough, fast enough and friendly enough, we build a 1600cc engine, using a rebuilt '67 transmission with a little taller fourth gear and put on disk brakes in the front. This way, it will look original going down the street and I'll be able to take it anywhere. So, we are pulling the engine and trans to keep in the garage and doing some useful modernization.

He''ll call me in the next two days with the final estimate, but the costs he could quote were highly reasonable. He seems in no way a gouger.

He thinks three or weeks should get it done. I'm like a little 6 year old kid with a cow lick at Christmas, I just can't wait
to scratch that itch!

Carl
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jays58s
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 12:28 pm    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

Goluscombe wrote:
I just spoke with Ken, who is at his shop on a Sunday. He started on my car last Wednesday but had been out of town doing deliveries of some engine parts he had machined.

I gave him free rein to choose what should happen to my bug. I told him that he is such a nice guy that he wouldn't cross anyone but I wanted him to know that his opinion matters. He suggested that to make my bug reliable enough, fast enough and friendly enough, we build a 1600cc engine, using a rebuilt '67 transmission with a little taller fourth gear and put on disk brakes in the front. This way, it will look original going down the street and I'll be able to take it anywhere. So, we are pulling the engine and trans to keep in the garage and doing some useful modernization.

He''ll call me in the next two days with the final estimate, but the costs he could quote were highly reasonable. He seems in no way a gouger.

He thinks three or weeks should get it done. I'm like a little 6 year old kid with a cow lick at Christmas, I just can't wait
to scratch that itch!

Carl
via Dragon Dictate


I hate to say it, but that's a VERY bad idea, Carl.
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Goluscombe
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 7:03 pm    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

Jay,

Why is that? I might be missing something important here.

Carl
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jays58s
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 15, 2016 8:15 pm    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

Goluscombe wrote:
Jay,

Why is that? I might be missing something important here.

Carl


If your car is all numbers matching, I'd leave it. Later engines and transmissions don't just fit in an early car, especially an oval. Pm me or call me so we can talk.
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sixty9fasty
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 10, 2016 7:19 pm    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

So, how's things going? We gonna see your car at KP this coming weekend? Did you continue forth with the updated drivetrain? Or stay old school?
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74 Thing
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2016 8:02 am    Post subject: Re: My 55' Bug is now at Jansen Enterprises Reply with quote

Yes, what happened to your car repairs? Are you out and about enjoying it?
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